Sewing-machine for qverstitching buttonhole-thrums



3 Sheets-Sheet -1.

(No Model.) i

, E. M. PHBLPS. SEWING MACHINE FOR OVERSTITGHING BUTTONHOLE THRUMS.

NO. 484,744. Patented 00L. 18, 1892.

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E. M. PHELPS. SEWING MAGHINB FOR OVBRSTITGHING BUTTONHOLB THRUMS.

No. 484,744. Patented Oct. 18, 1892,.

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(No Model.)

E. M. PEJSLPS.A SEWING MACHINE FOR OVERSTITGHING BUTTONHOLE THRUMS.

No. 484,744. Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

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` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE M. PHELPS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAND METHOD FINISHING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NASHUA, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

SEWING-MACHINE FOR OVERSIIICHING BUITONHOLE-THRUMS.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,744, dated October 18, 1892.

Application filed February 6, 1891. Serial No. 380,421. (No model.) l

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE M. PHELPS, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of sewing-machines which operate to form an overstitch; and this my present invention has for its object the adaptation of such a machine to the work of stitching thread-bars at the ends of buttonholes.

In the drawings, Figure l is a bottom plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts in section. Fig. 3 is an end View with the bed-plate in transverse section at the throatopening. Fig. 4t is a plan view of a portion of the machine, partly broken away, showing the throat-plate and adjacent parts.

In carrying out my invention I employ an ordinary straighteye-pointedsewing-machine needle and a needle-bar 30. Said needlebar is supported in a horizontal plane and permits endwise reciprocating movements in its supporting-bearings, which movements are imparted from the main driving-shaft 3 to the needle-bar through an intermediate connecting lnechanism composed of gears 3l 32, crankshaft 33, pitman 3l, block 35, and pitman 36, as shown in Fig. 1. To this end the block 35 is mounted to permit endwise reciprocations on its supporting-bar 37. In connection with this needle I employ a shuttle mechanism known as the Singer oscillating shuttle, and the same as is employed in the Singer zigzag-sewing machines. Said shuttle mechanism is socketed to permit oscillating movements in the machine bed-plate, and said oscillating movements are imparted thereto by a pitman 38, which to that end is connected with the block 35 and the shuttle mechanism, as shown in Fig. l.

The machine is further provided with a grooved throat-plate, across which the needle is made to pass in order to interlock the needle and shuttle threads. The material in which stitches are to be formed :is depressed from above into the throat-plate of the machine to the end that the needle may be passed through the fold thus formed in the material. To this end a folder is employed. Said folder is supported on the bottom end of a vertically-movable folder-bar 7, which bar is reci procated vertically in order to depress the folder into the machine throat-plate for folding the material, and .in order to lift the folder above the machine bedplate to permit straightening or otherwise arranging the material. Said vertical movements are imparted from the machine main shaft 3 through an intermediate mechanism consisting of the cam 4, lever 5, arm 5a, rock-shaft 6, arm 6, collar 42, and spring 48. tion with the folder I employ spring-Wipers 40, Figs. 2 and 3, arranged as shown. Said Wipers operate to wipe and hold the material folded closely about the folder. The machine is provided with an ordinary take-up mechanism.

The construction and operation of the stitch-forming mechanism and the folder-operating mechanism, together with the construction Aof the machine throat-plate and wipers 40, are more specifically described in an application for Letters Patent therefor now pending in the United States Patent Office, Serial No. 278,826, filed July 2,1889, to which further reference may be had.

Fig. 3 represents in side elevation the folder. It is provided with a downwardly-projecting portion a, designed for entering the buttonhole, and has a portion e, that project-s outwardly over the material at the end of the buttonhole.

In operation of the machine the folder is depressed into the throat-plate of the machine and the material of the buttonhole-piece at the end of the buttonhole is depressed by the portion c of the folder downwardly in a manner to fold the material inthe direction of the length of the buttonhole and hold it thus folded in position such that the needle moves forward through the fold thus formed, engages the shuttle-thread, and withdraws, leaving a bar of thread across the buttonhole end. The folder is then lifted, the material is straightened, and the next stitch is taken and the threads interlocked on the bottom face of the material.

In con nec- IOO This operation is repeated unl til an accumulation 'of thread is foimed across the buttohole end, giving a bai" of any' re-" quired size, whereupon the folder is lifted, the material moved tothe next buttonhole, and the operation repeated.

In carrying out my invention I have found it desirable to employ, in connection with the folder, some means whereby the material shall be lifted out of the th roat-plate to permit the second stitch or interlocking the threads on the under face of the material. I have further found it desirable to have some device to co-operate with the folder for straightening the material prior to the taking of said second stitch, in order to prevent the material-from being crimped or otherwise permanently distorted by the holding-tensin ofthe barring-threads. To this end I employ the spring-supported block E, which is attached by means of its yielding spring-arm to the machine-bed,soas to permit vertical reeipro cations conformable to the similar movements of the folder. It is provided with a socket to receive the projection a of the folderand has a bearing-surface j' beneath the portion e of the folder.` This block reciprocates within and below the throat-opening, yielding down*- wardly to the downwardly-moving folder and moving upwardly by reason of its springing arm to follow the upward movement of the folder and lift the material out of the throatplate. In practice the material at the button-hole end is loosely clamped between the portion e of the folder and the bea'ring f of the block, and while thus clamped is lifted and depressed to straighten and fold the material during the stitching operations, as described. At the'completion of each threadbar it becomes necessary to lift the folder away from the block, in order that the material may be Withdrawn and introduced. In order to effect this protracted upward movement of the folder the lever '5 is provided with a throat 12 and is arranged to permit swinging movement onits journal-pin to the end that the bottom end of the lever maybe shifted from a position embracing the cam 4 in its mouth to a position embracing the cam 4 in its throat-opening. Said throatopening is located between the plane of the mouth-opening and the lever-fulcrum, so that a shifting of the lever, as stated, moves the lever-fulcrum nearer to thecam, whereupon the next regular operation of the cam lifts the folder away from the block E to a position 'above the machine-bed. It is desirable to have the lever shifted thus automatically. To this en'd I secure to the machine-shaft 3 a gear 15, and in a bracket attached to the machine-bed is a gear 16, arranged to intermesh the gear 15. Said gear 16 carries a tripper-stud 19, which at each revolution of the gear lifts upwardly the horizontal arm of lever 17. Said lever 17 is pivotally supported in the machine-frame, with its vertical arm extending upwardly through an opening in the machine-bed and bearing nearits top end against the lever 18.

The lever 18 near its opposite end bears against the lever 5, as shown; In operation of the machine as the gear 16 revolves the tripper-stud 19 is made to engage and lift the horizontal arm of lever 17 The vertical arm of lever 17 is thus moved against the lever 18 to turn the lever 18 on its pivotal stud and cause it to act upon and shift the lever 5 to a position embracing the cam 4 in its throat opening, where it is held by the continuous action of stud 19 to enable the cam et to effect the protracted uplifting of the folder. .The

lever 5 when released is shifted back to its normal position and held thus by means offa spring 20 until the tripper-stud again uplifts the lever 17. Byasnitable proportion of size between the gears 15 and 16 the machine will be allowed *to take 'as many stitches with the lever 5 embracing cam A4 in its mouth as occasion requires, in order to give the 'desired buttonhole-bar before the protracted uplifting of the holder is made to take place.

It is further desirable to have themachine stop automatically during the protracted uplifting movement of the folder and remain thus with the folder uplifted while the operator shifts the material from one to the 'next succeeding buttonhole. To this end I employ a plate-wheel 21, fixed securely to the machine-shaft 3, and a driver-wheel 22,1`nounted to turn loosely on said shaft '3. The loose Wheel receives the belt-power fordriving the machine and permits movement on the shaft longitudinally to the end that it may be' brought to contact with plate 21 to start or moved away from plate 21 to stopthe machine. To this end the contiguous faces of the plate and driver-wheel are provided with frictional face formations.

The lever 23 is pivoted to permit tilting movement on a fulcrumpin secured in the machine-arm and one end of said lever is curved downwardly to a position adjacent to the hub of driver-wheel 22. The oppositeend of said lever is extended to a position directly over the end of lever 17 and connected with this arm of the lever is a treadle mechanism (not shown) of ordinary construction, which extends downwardly in position to be actuated by the fott of the operator inorder to liftthis arm of the 'lever 23 forV setting the machine in action. This uplifting movement of the lever 23 is effected against the tension of a spiral spring 26, and this spring, being thus contracted, operates when permitted to do so to move downwardly the lever 23 in order tostop This stopping operation is efthe machine. fected automatically, as I will further describe.

In order to start the machine, theoperator by a suitable movement of the treadle-lever lifts the arm of lever 23, thereby contracting the 'spring 26, and at the "same time causing the end of lever 23 to bear against and move the driver-wheel 22 into contact with the plate 21, whereupon the machine commences to move. At this time the material is supported by the operator with the projection a of the IIO esame folder centered in the buttonhole-slit and the` projection e of the folder bearing upon ythe material at the end of the buttonhole-slit. The treadle is heldl with the arm of lever 23 thus uplifted until gear 16 moves sufficiently to disengage tripper-stud 19 from the lever 17, thereupon spring 20 shifts the lever 5 into its n0rmalposition-t1 e., into position with the cam 4 located in the mouth-opening of the lever. This movement of the lever5 allows the cam to depress the folder to a position with the projection a of the folder extending through the material into the socket of block E and with the material at the end of the buttonhole-slit clamped loosely7 between the bottom face of projection e of the folder and the bearing-facefof the block E. Said shifting movement of the lever 5 further operates to set the end of lever 17 under the uplifted arm of lever 23, whereupon the treadle is released and the arm of lever 23 is supported in its uplifted position by the lever 17. Cam 4 is now positioned in the mouth-opening of lever 5, and as the machine moves this cam operates by revolving in the mouth-opening of lever 5 to reciprocate the folder between two horizontal planes-one located above and the other-located below the needle-path. Each complete revolution of the cam moves the folder from above to the plane below the needle-path and back to the( starting-plane above the needlepath. These movements of the folder are so timed relatively to the stitch-forming mechanism that a stitch is formed while the folder remains below and a second stitch is formed whilethefolderremains above the needle-path. To this end the gear 31 has a proportion of two to one of gear The block E by reason of its yielding spring-arm yields downwardly to the downwardly-moving folder and returns upwardly, conformable to the uplifting movenient of the folder, so that the material adjacent to the buttonhole end remains continually in a loosely-clamped condition between the projection e of the folder and bearingfof the block Eduringall bar-stitching operations.

'As the folder moves downwardly, the material is folded in the line of the buttonhole-slit by the projection e of the folder and carried downwardly below the needle-path, so that the needle passes through the walls of the folded material, engages the shuttle-thread, and withdraws, leaving a bar of thread on the face side of the material across the buttonhole end. The folder is next lifted. The" material is also lifted by the upwardly-moving block E to a plane above the needle-path, whereupon the needle is next passed through the groove and made to interlock the shuttlc-thread, thus forming a stitch or interlocking of the threads beneath the material. This operation is repeated until a thread-bar of sufiicient size is formed across thebuttonhole end. At this point the tripper-stud 19 cornes into engagement with and lifts the horizontal arm of lever 17. The top end of said lever 17 is thereby moved from under the lever 23 and the lever 17 is made to turn the lever 18, causing it to shift the lever 5 to a position embracing in its, throat-opening the came, the cam being positioned to effect the protracted uplifting of the folder. The lever 23 is simultaneously depressed by the spring 26 to disengage the driver-wheel 22 from contact with plate 21 and allow the machine to stop. It is noted that the folder remains above the level of the machine-bed during the taking of the understitch, and 1n practice I make use of the time of taking the last understitch of the bar to effect the protracted uplift of the folder and stop the machine at any point during the taking of this stitch. As the machine next begins to move it first completes the stitch thus partially formed, during which the tripper 19 holds the lever 17 to prevent the lever 5 from being reshifted to its normal position. As the partially-formed understitch is completed, the tripper 19 passes from under the lever 17 and permits the lever5 being shifted, so that the cam et next produces va complete downward throw of the folder, so that the next regularbar-stitcb is formed in the newly-presented material.

In practice I make the gear 16 in size three to one of the gear 15. This gives me six operations of the stitching mechanism to each complete revolution of the cam 1G. These six operations of the stitching mechanism yield a bar of six lines of thread, and during the taking of the sixth stitch, which is the last understitch of the series, the tripper 19 holds uplifted the lever 17 to allow stoppage of the machine and arrangement of the material on Y the uplifted folder, as described. In case it is desired to produce a series of more or less than six stitches it may be done by a corresponding variation in the size of gears 15, 16.

I have described the block E as provided` with a socket to receive the downwardly-projecting end of thefolder; but I would notbe understood as 4stating that this socket is strictly necessary to the operation of themachine. It is a convenience, and, I think, facilitates the holding of the material. I am also aware that the machine would be capable of performing the work without the uplifting-block E, the material being in that case lifted out of the groove and straightened by the operator; but I prefer to employ the block E, as described, and l furtherprefer to provide it with the bearing-face f, which, cooperating with the folder, keeps the material straightened beneath the bar, so that it is prevented from being crimped by the stitches.

It will be observed that the folder is provided with a recess h, through which the needle is able to pass, while the folder is depressed, with its bearing-face e, holding the material below the plane of the needle-path,

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in order to bring the bar-threads through to the face side of the folded material.

The folder-bar is limited in its downward movement by means of a stop 4:1, which, be-

ing adjustable on the bar, allows the machine to be set for different thicknesses of' mate rial. To this end the folder-bar is connected with its operating-lever by means of a collar 42, which permits loose sliding movements on the bar lagainst the tension of a spiral spring 48, through which spring the leverr acts to force downwardly the bar, thus givlng a Ayielding tension to the downward movement of the bar. Said spring further Zac'tsto take up any excessive movement of the operating-lever applied after the complete do'wnward throw of the bar is reached.

ll. Ina sewing-'machine for barring buttonholes, a folder having a projection to enter the buttonhole and a portion to'bear upon the 'material at the end of the bu'tftonhole, combined Witha lifter to lift the material as the folder retreats or "is moved from the material, astraig'htener, Vas f, tobeafr upon the under Aside'ot the material at the end of the buttonhole and prevent'criinping of the material AWhile the folderis in retracted position and the material is kelevated to permit of the 'fori' mation o'f the nnderstitch, a 'grooved th-roatf plate, in the groove of which the straightener `operates,and stitch-forming meehanisin,'sub stantia'lly as described.

2.v In a sewing-machine for 'barring buttonholes, ya folderto bear upon the material at the 'end of the buttonhole, devices toactuate said folder, andashit'tercobperati'ng with ythe folder'and its actuating devices to vary the? movement of the folder, combined with at throatepl'ate and stitch-forming mechanism, I

substantially las described.

3. Inasesving-machine for barring buttonholes, ja driven shaft, a clutch member fast-1f on said shaft, a co-op'erating clutch member loose on said shaft and having longitudinal movement thereonydevices operating tocause engagement of the clutch members, stitchforming mechanism, a worlefolder, and asloti ted throat, combined with devices tolimit the 1 number of barring-stitches to he'made before stoppage of the machine and connections between said devices-*and the clutch members,

including a supporter member to maintain engagement of "theclutchmembers, and a trip for said support topermit disengagement ot' said clutch meinbeif's when the required number of barring+stitchesat the end of a but tonhole shall have been made, substantially as described. l

4. A folder to bear upon the material-at the end of `a buttonhole, devices to actuate said folder, and a shifter co-operating with the folder and its actuating devices 'to vary the movement of the folder, combined with a grooved throat-plate, stitch-forming mechanism, and devices, i'ncludinga trip, to limit f the number of barring-'stitches to be made at the end of a bttonhole before release of the material by variation in the movement 'of the folder and to determine' the time -of variation `of movement o'f the folder, substantially as described.

5. In -a sewing-machine provided with a grooved throatplate and stitch-formingmechanis'm, substantially as described, a folder, a driving-shaft, `a connecting mechanism between the said shaft and folder for imparting reciprocating `movements to the `folderin order to bend the material in the throat-plate, and an automati'callylo'perating 'shifter and stop mechanism'vrhereby the folder-operating mechanism is shifted to 'vary the movement i of the folder `and the machine stopped-as 

